Pill dispenser



Dec. 22, 1964 c. CAGE, JR 3,162,301

PILL DISPENSER File'd Nov. 21, 1962 FIGS i Conrad Cage, Jr.,

f medicinal value of each dose.

United safes Patent one@ 3,162,361 Patentes nec. 212, 1964 3,162,301 PILL DISPENSER 107 Linderman Ave., West Monroe, La. Filed Nov. 21, 1%2, Ser. No. 239,179 8 Claims. (Cl. Zim-42) This invention relates to pill dispensers. More specifically this invention relates to a pill dispenser having a plurality of compartments and indicia receiving means adjacent each compartment.

Frequently, patients suffering from various disorders are given a prescription requiring dosages of pills, capsules or liquid medicines at certain prescribed times, for instance every hour or after each meal. When such a schedule as is to be followed for any length of time it frequently happens that at the time prescribed for the dosage the patient may be distracted. After the distraction has passed the patient may have ditiiculty in recalling Whether or not the appropriate dosage has been taken. This uncertainty may result in the patient either taking a double dosage or none at all, and either eventuality can be quite serious insofar as many pills and illnesses are concerned.

It also frequently happens that two or more pills or capsules of different types are prescribed to be taken at the same time. The presence of a plurality of containers can often be a source of confusion and such uncertainty may also result in the patient either taking a double dosage or none at all.

Thus it is a primary object of this invention to obviate these problems and dangers by providing a pill dispenser having a plurality of separate compartments, each being large yenough to receive several pills or capsules and havy ing indicia means associated with each compartment, so

that the times prescribed for the dose may be visually compared and checked with the presence of pills or capsules in the compartment. In thismanner the possibility of double doses orloverlooked doses can be entirely eliminated.

Another object of this invention is to provide apill dispenser which is particularly adapted for use in the patients home or in hospitals and convalescent homes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device which will protect pills or capsules from moisture or soiling and thereby provide maximum protection for4 the This object is further enhanced by decreasing to a minimum the manipulation incident to the dispensing of pillsl and capsules.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a pill dispenser which may be simply and economically constructed and yet will be durable and attractive.

' Other advantages and objects will become readily apparent from a consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the appended drawings which illustrate one embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of a according to this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side view of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective View of a complete pill dispensingjunit in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional View along 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view similar to FIGURE 6, but with a slotted sleeve; i

FIGURE 6 is a cross sectional view URE 3;

n FIGURE 7 is a cross sectional view along 7 7 of FIG- URE 8; y

FIGURE 8 is a side view of another embodiment of this invention;

pill container section along 6 6 of FIG- FIG. 9 is a front View of one embodiment of the sleeve in accordance with this invention.

In its broadest sense the present invention comprises:

(a) A tubular member having a plurality of compartments spaced at intervals along the length thereof,

(b) An opening into each of said compartments through the side walls of said tubular member,

(c) Changeable indicia means located adjacent to each of said compartments,

(d) A sleeve member slidable with respect to the external surface of said tubular member,

(e) A supporting means at one end of said tubular member.

Referring now to the drawings it will be seen that the tubular member 12 is divided into a plurality of separate compartments A, B, C and D by means of a plurality of partitions 14a-14e extending perpendicularly to the axis of the tubular member 12 at spaced intervals. Although the tubular member 12 has been shown as having a generally cylindrical cross section it will be understood that' it could just as well be in a form having the cross section of a square, triangle, rectangle or even a polygon. A cylindrical cross section is desirable from the standpoint of economy and ease of manufacture since it involves a simple extrusion operation. Obviously any number of compartments could be provided.

The partitions 14a-14e may be xed within the tubular member 12 at the desired locations by any suitable fastening means such as adhesives, locking projections or the like.

It will be further noted in the drawings that one side of the tubular member 12 has an elongated open slot 3S therein which allows access to each of the compartments, A, B, C and D, formed by said partition members and which (preferably) restricts discharge of pills from the compartment. The width of'this slot 38 is preferably y less than the internal diameter' of the tubular member 12 and may be just wide enough to accommodate the smallest dimension of a pill or capsule placed in the compartments A-D.

Each of the various compartments is of a sulicient size to receive at least one pill and prefer-ably several pills or capsules. For example, a compartment size of one inch in length (height) by 3A inch in diameter has been found to be quite suitable.

FIGURE 2 most clearly shows the changeable indicia means. By way of example this is shown to consist of abraded portions 3), 32, 34 and 36 located at spaced intervals along the exterior side of the tubular member 12. These abraded portions may be marked on with a crayon-type pencil, a lead pencil, ink or the like. Each of these abraded portions is positioned so as to be unmistakably associated with one of the compartments (A-D) of the container. The appropriate time for taking the pills in the adjacent compartment is indicated on each abraded portion. The written indicia can be erased or changed whenever desired by the patient or attending physician. The abraded portion (or other indicia) should preferably be recessed somewhat to prevent the Writing thereon from being obliterated by relative movement between Ithe tublar member 12 and the sleeve which is more fully described hereinafter.

At the upper end of the dispenser a shank 22 is provided which includes a hole 24. This arrangement permits the dispenser to be suspended from a hook or attached with a string to a hospital bed or other convenient location near the patient utilizing the dispenser.

After pills, capsules and/or instructions have been placed in the various compartments with an indication of the appropriate time for use being indicated on the adjacent abraded portion, a sleeve member is placed around the tubular member. Referring specifically to .il-3.x FIGURES 3, 5, and 6, a

row slot 28y running the axial Vlength thereof They advantage of lan Vair'ial slot in -thelsleeve 526v is that it permits one to use the natural resilience. of the sleeve material -to provide a flrictional grip on the exterior of the tubular member V12'. Also, if the slot '28 is made approximately the same width -as the slot 3S, then slot28 can beused as a so'rt of gate to open andV close slot 38; The advantage of a transparent sleeve is apparent when immediate access to the dat-aV on the abraded portion is desired.

' Since the sleeve member 26 can be moved rather easily in an axial direction with respect @tothe tubular member 12 by the application Vof manual pressureit will be seen that in so doing one progressively exposes sleeve member 26 `is shown disposed around theltubular member 12. The

moved relative to tubular member 12 so aslto first expose.

compartment vA and lastly compartment D.

Between dosages the container maybe suspended or otherwise immediately placed near the patient.

The various parts ofthe dispenser may be formedA of any suitable material. Plastic such as polyethylene,

, reallymdepa'wn'gffroh the vbasic"pri'nfrilgles teachings the compartments A, B, C and D and 4theindicia" means adjacent each compartment.

The lower end of sleeve 26 may also berpr'ovide'd with an Vannular metallic band around -its'interior surface so as to provide for'continued retention of the resilienceV necessary for fric-tional contact.V Still another variation of a suitable sleeve ,me'mber is shown in FIGURES. VHere it is seen that the sleeve 26 is provided withvaxially staggeredopenings', v62,6 3

and v64 which can be causedy tos'equentially yregister' one at a time with the various compartments A," B C,' indv D in the tublar member 12 -by rotatingthe sleeve memberv 26 and the tubular member 12.y With thisV arrangement, if thetubular sleeve 26 is made of clear plastic,- ritneed4 never be moved axially respect to the tubular member 12 in order to discharge dosages. i 'Y FIGURES 7 and SillustrateV anotherembodiment of the invention relative lto the changeable indicia means'.

In this embodiment, instead of using abraded portions of the exterior wall'of tubular member 12 for 'the indicia means, a wedge shaped slot 51 and indicia strip are ernployed; The indiciastrip 50 desirably already'has preprinted times thereom This would permit adruggist, 'atr the time he sold a patient medicine to also supply the patient with a dispenser having the appropriate number of compartments and an appropriate indiciastrip 50 kfor insertion in the slot 51.' vThe druggist could ,easily have available'fa variety of different preprinted indioiastripsV already. f This invention willbe seen Ato be' very 'ad\'fantageousY to patients .who have to take a', series vof dosages,l at intervals. The time for taking each dosage is simply Written on the abradedl portions 30,62, and '36 with a pencil .or

other Writing instrument end each ofthe compartr'nerlts.` filled with pills. The dispenser iis preferably lilled at,

1. A pill dispenser yand lreminder comprising:- (a) an elongated,tb'ularnemben (b) aplurl'ityof i iiiierniijl diameter or a'idliubula'r member mounted per'pmidicilliii tonie vaxis'disais tubular 'in'emliei and adapted tov'close the top and bottrn and Adivide said tubular member into .a plurality of laterally-disposed compartments-fdp r'eeeivifig pil I l. (c) 'Said lilbllla lr'lefI-ll'e fo IfleJd in 'its lSide vvall openings" opposite each of' 's`aid'com`15artments, said kopeiliiflgs having an arcuate dimension lof less'f'than 180 and being vertically aligned lfe 'above ,the other to permit insertion ofand removal of pills from said co mpartments;` f l .1 (d) iiidieiaeeeiving'mesas' formed. iii the .einer wall f of Vsaid."r'llblll'ai'l membelvopposite'each of said v'cornpartm'e'nfs and adptedglo tefnpofaily receive'visible reminders ottimes 'to consume vthe .contents of each Vof saidcompartm'ents; and v i `f (e) transparent S'levej fiieaiis Afiicii lly eii'ggiiijgilie outer sur'faceofqrsa'id Ytubular member-and adapte t indicia receivilgmeans is aroughened surface formed on the olterwall oftheti'lbular member Vand adapted to be marked on by an'erasable in arkingkm'eans; y L

4.L A dispenser inl f ccordance with claim 1 wherein the indicia receiving vlmeans la longit` l l ;l inal,y groove formed in the olite'r'wll of the'tubul'ar member and adapted to re-v ceive a stripl member appropriately marked with visible reminders.'y

5.V A dispenserrinaccordaneewith claiml` whereinthe Y' sleeve memberis'longitudinally slideable on theftubular the same time each day,V eitherinjthe morning or beforej i retiring. VIn the: event that dosagesA of pills, arek to baltern'atedwith liquid, medicinal dosages Vak small4 slipl4 of paper indicating the Acomposition vor location of theyr liquid dosage can be placed in the appropriate oom-1V partment AOf course, each of the'cornpartmen-ts maybe illed with both'slips of paper and pills. This arrangement avoids doubt in the patients rmind as to whether,`v

the prescribed dosageV has been taken at the scheduled time, for Whenever apill still remainsY in a/-compartrnent beyond thetime set forth on the indicia means .the paal tient will know that the pill lhas not been taken.

1n its preferredfmode of operationthe sleeve2641's'kk member torsequentiallyexpose that openingofijthe `compartment immediately adjacent the previously exposed Opening. Y

V 6. A dispenser irl-accordineewith claim :I wherein the sleeve member lis longitudinally iixed with relation to the tublrmember and adapted to rotate about'said tubular fnfiemiqerA afii'l aairinallyfha's Lfarmed its Walla plurality of openings'equal in'finbe to the A'rlurrlber of com-v partments, spaced v along `sail sleeve opposite`.-said `c omp'a'rtments and atditfe'rfent' aiigl'llrpos'itils, and adapted to register witha different oneof-tlie opel'l'ii'lg's' inthe comparirneliis'as the sleeve is rotated about the tubular' niem-v ber. 1

7. Affdispense'rl in yaccordancewith claim 1 which additionally includes a verticalltab formed on the, upper end' o'f the tubular infribe'rahvig a'l'fel iheril'j'r'ghio accommodate a suspending element.

iiiiifiisqiai iii diameter is ills of thetublilar' kmember are tornledV 5 6 8. A dispenser in accordance with claim 3 wherein the 2,953,242 9/ 60 Shaw 206-42 roughened surface is formed in a recess in the wall of the 3,020,659 2/ 62 Paulini 206-42 tubular member. 3,070,226 12/ 62 Mathison 221-307 3,095,085 6/63 Maijer 206-42 References Cited by the Examiner 5 FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 161,145 9/20 Great Britain. 1,625,856 4/27 Judd 221-309 222,813 g/62 Austria. 2,367,019 1/45 Haag 206-42 2,774,466 12/56 Liska 20G-42 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A PILL DISPENSER AND REMINDER COMPRISING: (A) AN ELONGATED TUBULAR MEMBER; (B) A PLURALITY OF PARTITIONS EQUAL IN DIAMETER TO THE INTERNAL DIAMETER OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER MOUNTED PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXIS OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER AND ADAPTED TO CLOSE THE TOP AND BOTTOM AND DIVIDE SAID TUBULAR MEMBER INTO A PLURALITY OF LATERALLY-DISPOSED COMPARTMENTS FOR RECEIVING PILLS; (C) SAID TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING FORMED IN ITS SIDE WALL OPENINGS OPPOSITE EACH OF SAID COMPARTMENTS, SAID OPENINGS HAVING AN ARCUATE DIMENSION OF LESS THAN 180* AND BEING VERTICALLY ALIGNED ONE ABOVE THE OTHER TO PERMIT INSERTION OF AND REMOVAL OF PILLS FROM SAID COMPARTMENTS; (D) INDICIA RECEIVING MEANS FORMED ON THE OUTER WALL OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER OPPOSITE EACH OF SAID COMPARTMENTS AND ADAPTED TO TEMPORARILY RECEIVE VISIBLE REMINDERS OF TIMES TO CONSUME THE CONTENTS OF EACH OF SAID COMPARTMENTS; AND (E) TRANSPARENT SLEEVE MEANS FRICTIONALLY ENGAGING THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER AND ADAPTED TO ALTERNATELY CLOSE ALL OF SAID COMPARTMENT OPENINGS AND OPEN A SELECTED ONE OF SAID OPENINGS. 